


The Fox, the Dragonfly, and the Roadrunner

by Iris_Dietrich



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Season/Series 09
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-09
Updated: 2018-01-29
Packaged: 2018-12-13 07:18:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 10,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11754831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iris_Dietrich/pseuds/Iris_Dietrich
Summary: Starts in season 9 "the truth" Scully didn't give William up but disappeared with him. Will Mulder escape prison without her help, will he ever see his son and partner again? What happened to Scully and William?





	1. Thinking

**Unknown Brig:**

The door opens and two guards walk in...

"What are you thinking?" The first guard gruffly asks a pitiful form on the ground,

Through the shadows we can see it's Mulder, not looking one bit intimidated by the impressive build and quick temper of his guard...

"Where am I?" He asks cockily,

"Wrong answer!" The guard violently hits the wall above Mulder, trying to intimidate him into submission...

"What are you thinking?" He asks again, testing to see if his show of force worked,

"I'm thinking about getting the hell out of here." It didn't, Mulder is still being his flippant self,

"Wrong… answer!" The guard grinds out through his clenched jaw, not liking the fact he can't break a man so much smaller than him, in height there weren't too different but Mulder had more of a lean build were this guard looked like he consumed Mulders weight for lunch and had it turned into muscle by dinner.

He hits Mulder in the abdomen, forgoing just the threat of violence for actual force showing Mulder he is done being jerked around. He leaves and the other guard instructs Mulder,

"No sleeping!"

As his cell door is closed, Mulder is left in complete darkness.

 

* * *

 

The next time the door opens, letting light into Mulder's confinement, it is unclear how much time has passed, but the shadow of his growing facial hair tells us it's been a few days.

The guard begins the same questioning over as before and it becomes clear this has been Mulder's life for a while now...

"What are you thinking?"

"About my son ... about his mother." Mulder replies allowing his mind to drift to when he was last able to hold his child, to see the peace come over Scully's face of having all of them together...

"Wrong answer!" His mental reprieve doesn't last for long as a large fist smashes into his face.

"Now, what are you thinking?"

Fed up Mulder snaps, "What do you want from me?!"

The guard sneers, "Wrong... answer!" he swings again but this time Mulder is prepared for him. He ducks out of the way and makes a grab for the guard's baton, unfortunately he is too strong for Mulder and the baton quickly finds it's way pressed against Mulder's neck causing him to gasp for air as more and more oxygen is deprived,

"I want answers, you hear me? I want answers!" The guard spits at Mudler's face.

The two are in that locked position. Mulder continues to gasp as his vision starts to dim, finally the guard lets go and walks out. The metal door clangs shut leaving Mulder in darkness once again as he tries to refill his lungs.

 

* * *

 

When the door opens this time we see Mulder is lying naked on the cold floor, showing us his "What are you thinking" interrogation has been going on for a long time, and not to either the guard's or Mulder's satisfaction.

As the light seeps into the room Mulder winces and tries to cover his eyes from the sudden bright light.

"No sleeping!" The guard shouts kicking Mulder's hand away from his eyes,

"Did you hear me?" He asks,

"Yes." Is Mulder's cold reply.

"What are you thinking?" The guard asks, starting their dance from the top,

Mulder's voice is different then his earlier interrogations, it's lost some of it's fight, "What should I be thinking?" He dryly asks

The guard narrows his eyes at him, "You're a guilty man. You entered a government facility illegally in search of non-existent information! You failed in every respect!"

"Yes." Mulder lifelessly agrees with him,

"Say it!" The guard demands and pulls his hand back as if to start another beating but Mulder gives him his answer before his fists can do anymore damage,

"I'm a guilty man," He rushes out,

"I failed in every respect. I deserve the harshest punishment for my crime."

The guard seems satisfied and walks out. Mulder moves to his corner and settles in again.

 

* * *

 

Skinner arrives at the heavily guarded facility, a door buzzes open and he shows his ID to another set of guards before being allowed to walk through. He comes to another door through a metal gate and waits for it to be opened for him.

On the inside he sees Mulder, looking pale, thin, beaten down, with a long beard, showing us how long he has been kept alone in this dark room. Mulder get's up and looks past Skinner hoping to see his favorite red head behind him but she's not there, he looks to Skinner for an explanation, like she's parking the car but his expression tells him the answer isn't going to be as simple as that.

"Where is she?"

.

.

.

"I don't know."


	2. The Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly I never liked the name William, I mean it's fine as a name, but for Scully's child it didn't make sense to me that after being terrorized by Billy Miles during pregnancy and labor she would choose that name even if it was to honor someone in her or Mulder's family. So I'm changing it, be mad if you want but hopefully you can look past it.
> 
> So I have named Scully's son after a Saint and an important historical figure in medicine...
> 
> St. Jude, also known as Thaddaeus, is the Patron Saint of desperate situations and lost causes,
> 
> James Blundell 1791-1878, was a British obstetrician. At the time it was common for women to die in childbirth. He wondered if women who bled heavily after giving birth may be able to be given someone else’s blood. He invented equipment to safely transfuse blood from one person to another.
> 
> And so James Thaddaeus Scully was born.

* * *

 

Mulder studies Skinner for a moment trying to absorb what he just heard,

"What do you mean, _you don't know_?"

"People came... for James, she did her best to keep him safe, we all did. But they kept coming for him, so she had to make a choice." Skinner tells him,

"And what did she choose?"

Skinner sighs, knowing this next bit of information will no doubt devastate him.

"She had her chip removed and disappeared with the kid... no one knows where she went, she didn't even tell her mother."

Mulder feels all the breath leave his body,

"I'm sorry I could have sworn you just said she removed the chip, the little piece of metal in her neck that stops her cancer from returning... her incurable cancer!"

"She needed to keep James safe and she didn't trust anyone else to do it."

"Well he's not going to be very safe when she dies and they're out in the middle of no where, is he?!"

"There was no talking her out of it, I'm sorry. We just have to trust that Scully had a plan for such a scenario."

Mulder looked away going to his familiar corner not wanting Skinner to see the tears escaping his eyes as he pictured Scully and James out there all alone.

"Look, we can figure out what to do about Dana once your out of here, but your not gonna be able to help anyone like this..." Skinner starts to explain, he stops and runs his hand over his face hating to see his agent looking so defeated,

"Have they told you what the charges are, Mulder? What you're doing here?" he asks.

"I murdered a man, Walter. I went looking for something that didn't exist, and I ... I made a terrible mistake. I should be punished severely, although I'm not sure what punishment could be worse then what you've just told me."

"Whatever you were doing you have the right to a lawyer ... to an inquiry and process of law." Skinner tells him, refusing to believe nothing can be done about Mulder's situation or Scully for that matter.

"I don't think you heard me..." Mulder begins to say but the guard interrupts them,

"All right - time's up."

The Guard holds the door open, indicating for Skinner to leave, he turns to look at Mulder for some sort of hint that he will fight this but he has already retreated again to that damn corner and is facing the wall.

After Skinner leaves Mulder starts talking, presumably to himself...

"I don't understand, why are you helping me?" but as he turns around we see Krycek is right in front of him,

"Because you can't do this alone."

Mulder is distracted from Krycek by the sound of a guard approaching, but when he turns back around Krycek has disappeared.


	3. Pre-Trial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I promise I won't be cruel, you'll know Scully's fate in a couple chapters but for right now, I'm keeping it a mystery.
> 
> Also I haven't rated this story yet because I honestly don't know, the second I use strong language or graphic descriptions I will update it but for right now I'm just allowing the story to naturally develop, so we'll see where this goes together.

* * *

Walter Skinner had to grovel and beg Kersh and other higher ups to get Mulder this trial, this one slim chance at justice. His career would probably be finished after this, but he felt he owed it to Dana. He still felt guilty he hadn't been able to protect her and her little boy. She was an impressive agent and she had basically had to sacrifice her career and her life for reasons that might forever be beyond reach. It wasn't fair, but there wasn't much he could do for her, he wasn't really equipped to fight super soldiers, but fighting bureaucracy... that he stood a chance with. 

The guard opens the door to Mulder's cell, allowing Skinner in.

He looks at Mulder hoping to see some excitement or at least gratitude for angling to give him this chance to clear his name,

"I hope your not waiting for a big kiss hello, Skin-man."

Skinner sighs, "The only thing you're going to be kissing, Mulder, is your sweet ass goodbye, with the trouble your in."

"Uh-huh, I kind of gathered that right around the 50th brainwashing session," Mulder replies not letting on any of this is getting to him.

"Mulder, we have to start working on your case, preparing for trial."

Mulder shakes his head, "nothing I say is gonna matter. Not with the case they're building."

Skinner drops his head at Mulder's defeatist attitude, "I don't think you understand the seriousness of the charges. This isn't some routine wrist slapping. You're on trial for your life."

"My trial's a foregone conclusion. The whole thing is rigged, what they really want is for me to admit my guilt and help them out. What's really on trial here is the truth."

"Well then, who better to fight for it than you?"

Mulder scoffs.

"They're saying you killed a man." Skinner tries again,

"Have they produced a body?" Mulder asks,

Skinner sighs, indicating no.

"You can't produce a body because you can't kill a man who won't die," Mulder tells him.

"Well, body or not, they've got 30 witnesses from that government facility ready to testify against you... look I've been looking into lawyers to represent you, I think there is one who might-"

Mulder interrupts with a laugh,

"Who is going to defend a man who believes in aliens against the FBI and the military? It's never going to happen. Why can't you defend me?"

Skinner shakes his head, "I can't represent you."

Mulder tilts his head incredulously, "You know all the facts, the details the whole government conspiracy... more than that, I trust you."

Skinner is stunned silent by the weight of having somehow earned the complete faith in a man who lives and breathes ' _Trust No ONE'_  He thought Scully had been the only exception and was honored it apparently extended to him as well.

"Mulder..."

"They can't try me without exposing themselves. I know what I'm doing." Mulder appealed to him.

While Skinner is considering the proposition the cell door opens and Doggett enters. 

"Whooo, now it's a party," Mulder exclaims, acting very cavalier, even for him, given his life is on the line.

"Agent Mulder." Doggett nods,

Mulder can tell he has not come to deliver good news.

"We've been working off what little we have but the military just got back to us... I know this is impossible, but they're saying they got Knowle Rohrer's body."

Yup... not good news at all.

* * *

 **Courtroom:** A door opens into the empty room where the court proceedings will occur.

Skinner walks in carrying a briefcase. He stands in the center of the room for a moment, then turns to set up his table

Special Agent Kallenbrunner enters,

"Special Agent Kallenbrunner. I'll be handling the prosecution. I'm out of the L.A. Field office." He says introducing himself to Skinner,

Skinner is surprised by how green the kid looks, "How did you get this assignment?" He asks nervously, normally he would be feeling overconfident at going up against Kallenbrunner and in any other scenario he'd be justified but he knows, in this case, they picked him to rub it in his face that no matter what happens in this courtroom Mulder won't be walking out.

"I was a Federal Prosecutor in D.C. Before joining the FBI. And you?" Kallenbrunner asks.

"That's a good question." He says a bit existentially 

Next, the jury walked in, it's a 5 man panel led by the "toothpick man."

Kersh stands as judge/ringleader, "Let's bring in the defendant. This proceeding is called to order."

The back door opens and Mulder walks in accompanied by a guard, dressed in his orange prison jumpsuit. 

"Mr. Kallenbrunner you may proceed," Kersh instructs,

"I have no witnesses to call. I will submit to the court, however the sworn testimony of 30 men and women who saw the crime." He says turning it over to Skinner,

"I move to dismiss these proceedings on the grounds it violates the accused's rights to a fair trial. I'm not a lawyer. You're not a judge. This is not a court of law." Skinner argues,

"This is a military court of law. You may want to familiarize yourself with title ten of the U.S. Code. But I suggest you call a witness." Kersh says unimpressed so far with Skinner's performance.

Skinner sighs, "Then I move to delay this trial. My central witness, Marita Covarrubias works for the united nations and I can't locate her. And I've received no help from the U.S. Government locating her."

"I have to deny that request. Do you another witness, Mr. Skinner?" Kersh asks unmoved,

"I'll call a witness but I would like to do so under protest."

"Both the panel's judgments and rulings are sovereign, Mr. Skinner. There is no record." Kersh explains shocking Skinner,

"Excuse me? This isn't a secret tribunal. As you've so kindly informed me, it's a court of law."

"Military court of law, Mr. Skinner" Kersh corrects.

Mulder leans over, "It's okay." He reassures Skinner, "Try your case."

Skinner takes a deep breath and tilts his head up sending a silent prayer,

_'Here we go'_

 


	4. Witness for the Prosecution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm not gonna re hash line for line of the trial but I'll capture the important moments for this story.

Skinner's first Witness is Jeffery Spender, Smoking man's other son and Mulder's half brother. He walks into the courtroom and resolutely approaches the witness chair. His appearance is jarring, he is badly scarred, Kallenbrunner looks a little sick and Kersh actually looks down, a bit ashamed.

Spender turns to look at Mulder and Mulder nods his head at him appreciating he came, Spender nods back. 

Skinner asks him to state his full name, 

"Jeffrey Frank Spender."

Over the corse of Skinner's questions we get a sort of recap over the history around Mulder, the X-Files, CSM, government conspiracies, alien existence, and even Samantha.

Kallenbrunner stands his chair scraping behind him, "Objection. There's no government conspiracy that I've seen established here, this is about a murder." Kallenbrunner argues,

Kersh is quick to agree, "I don't see where this is going." He tells Skinner,

"If I can prove this conspiracy, it will justify Mulder's actions and you will have no choice but to acquit." Skinner explains,

Kersh raises one of his eyesbrows surprised this is the strategy Skinner is going with, "I hope this isn't the entire basis of your defence, Mr. Skinner." He says a bit tauntingly.

Skinner looks hesitant and glances over at Mulder to make sure he is comfortable with him going this direction. Mulder doesn't look worried and Skinner takes that as a sign and continues on turning back to Spender. 

They go over how Spender and Mulder are related and also touch on how Cigarette Smoking Man ordered Alex Krycek to kill Mulder's father.

"Why did your father have Agent Mulder's Dad killed? Was is to silence him?"

At this Kallenbrunner starts looking concerned, he hadn't really expected there to be so much more to this than what was obvious, and finds himself getting a little nervous.

"Mulder's father lived his life in shame. Not for the conspiracy but for a terrible decision he made." Spender answers alluding to Samantha.

Skinner nods picking up on this, "Involving Agent Mulder's sister?"

Spender nods, "The aliens distrusted their human collaborators. Members of the conspiracy were made to surrender family members as human collateral."

"So, Mulder's father gave up Mulder's sister. His own eight-year-old daughter..." Skinner still found that hard to believe himself, he had seen first hand how much certain parents were willing to sacrifice for their children _*Thinking of Scully*_

"Mulder witnessed his sister being abducted by aliens. It haunted him to no end. It's why he pursued the X-Files." Spender explains.

"What became of her? Samantha?" Skinner asks.

"She was returned..." Spender replies disappearing into his thoughts briefly, "She was sent to California where we were raised together. She was taken many more times and suffered horrible tests."

A sad forlorn look comes over Mulder's face as he thinks about Samantha.

"Mulder spent years looking for her... several times thinking that he'd found her but he was tricked... Samantha was part of a cloning experiment done by the conspiracy. She herself died in 1987."

"By your own father's hand essentially." Skinner comments, letting his distaste for CSM show.

"When I went to work for the FBI, I didn't know of my father's crimes. and when I stood up to him, he shot me."

Spender looks down still feeling haunted by the horrific deeds of his father,

"When I didn't die he subjected me to the same horrible tests." Spender admits.

The witness is turned over to the prosecution for questioning,

Kallenbrunner steers the questioning to Spender's early case reports, he characterized Mulder as _arrogant, a control freak widely disliked by his peers._

Spender tried to explain those were written before he knew the truth but Kallenbrunner had already managed to sow doubt.

"Tell me, during your time with the X-Files, did you ever work with an Agent Scully?" Kallenbrunner asks, Mulder sits up slightly worried not wanting her named dragged through the mud, momentarily forgetting none of this is on the record.

"Just on a couple cases, I was partnered with another agent." Spender answered.

"A Diana Fowley?"

"Yes."

"During the times you did work or interact with Agent Scully and Mulder, did you become aware they were lovers?"

Skinner stands up, "objection, what is the relevance of this?"

"The relevance?" Kallenbrunner asks, "The relevance is that it seems to me everyone Fox Mulder comes into contact with quickly becomes infected with his paranoia, following him and his crusade against, what... aliens? a secret government cabal? Is anyone keeping up with all of this? Isn't it far more likely that the one person that was brought in to help reign in Agent Mulder actually ended up being his undoing?"

"I'll allow the questioning to continue." Kersh instructs,

Reluctantly Skinner sits back down,

Kallenbrunner turns back to Spender, "Do you need me to repeat the question?"

"No, they always acted very professional with each other, I was unaware of any romantic elements to their relationship and just assumed they had a close bond due to their partnership."

"Why? Why would you assume that? I mean Diana Fowley, your own partner also used to have a close relationship with Mulder despite them being partners at the time, they even married, didn't they?"

"Yes, I believe so."

"So why when you knew Mulder's reputation of crossing the line with female coworkers did you assume there was nothing inappropriate happening between him and Agent Scully?"

"I don't know" Spender reluctantly replies.

"Could it be because Agent Scully had a bit of a reputation," He looks down in his notes, "Uh, Ice Queen, I believe was her nickname."

"Was there a question in there?" Spender asks.

"I'm just saying that Mulder was Scully's partner for wow, 8 years... and then she has a baby and poof he goes off the deep end, disappears only to be found months later breaking into a secure facility and killing a man, Isn't is possible that instead of all these conspiracies and super soldiers, aliens for crying out loud, that maybe it's just as simple as Mulder wanted his female partner, as he has in the past, but she refused him and he could live with that as long as she remained the ice queen and turned down everyone it wasn't personal, right? But then she had a baby and suddenly it is very personal, it's no wonder he snapped really. I mean he worked along side this woman for almost a decade, why wasn't she the first witness called? That's right, because she's not even here... No further questions."

Skinner knew calling out Dana's absence made them look bad, even if they could prove the child was Mulder's he was certain neither Fox or Dana would want James mentioned here among these men so regretfully he had to let Kallenbrunner's theory remain unchallenged.

 


	5. Praised

As the trial went on several more witnesses testified to Skinner's and Mulder's claims of government conspiracies and the existence of extraterrestrial life. 

Marita Covarrubias had been found and testified to the existence of the Syndicate, an alien virus, admitting she herself has been turned into a test subject.

"They were pretending to work with the aliens to infect the entire population with an alien virus, but the conspirators were trying to save themselves by secretly and selfishly developing a vaccine. The conspirators believed all life in the universe had been infected with the virus including a race of shape-shifting alien bounty hunters who policed the conspiracy for the aliens. But they were wrong and it led to the destruction of the conspiracy." She explained,

"And who destroyed it?" Skinner asked,

"A group of renegade aliens who had avoided infection with the virus through self-disfigurement." She spoke thinking about a rebel who had his eyes and mouth sewn shut.

Skinner asked what had happened to the conspirators and Marita explained they were all dead now, killed by the rebels but a new group of men had quickly taken their place.

"Fox Mulder's on trial for murder here. The man he's accused of killing is one of these new conspirators. An alien replacement for a human being. What they're calling a super soldier. You can prove this, can't you?"

Marita remains silent too afraid to answer Skinner. But he presses her anyway, "You know who these men are, don't you? Ms. Covarrubias?"

The image of Krycek appears to Mulder and warns him she'll be killed if she answers Skinner.

"Ms. Covarrubias, I asked you a question. I need an answer." But before she can answer Mulder shouts "No." Intervening much to Kallenbrunner's surprise and confusion.

Marita is excused but Doggett quickly comes in with a surprise witness,

"I have an unscheduled witness that I'd like to call here today." Skinner tells the court.

In the doorway with Doggett appears Gibson Praise. Fearing again for the safety of those brave enough to stand up for him Mulder tries to protest.

"No, not him!"

Skinner turns to Mulder and tells him to sit down. 

"You don't understand. I'm trying to protect that boy."

"Well, now he's here to protect you." Skinner argues with Mulder.

Kersh asks Kallenbrunner if he has any objections to the witness...

"Not like Mr. Mulder here does." Finding it strange again that Mulder is impeding the defense' own witnesses.

On the stand Gibson explains he has been hiding Mulder in the desert for this past year.

Skinner explains to the court that Gibson Praise can read people's minds, "Mulder and Scully proved this scientifically. There's a certain _junk DNA_ which all humans share but has no apparent function. Gibson's _junk DNA_ is functional... DNA which is believed to be alien."

"You're trying to tell us this boy can read minds?" Kallenbrunner asks skeptically.

"Yes." Gibson answers for him.

"He's reading your mind right now." Mulder adds enjoying freaking out Kallenbrunner.

"And can you read the minds of the judges, too?" Kallenbrunner asks facetiously,

"Yes, even his." Gibson lifts his arm and points at the toothpick man, which piques Mulder's interest. 

"And what makes him so special?" Kallenbrunner asks,

"He's not human." Suddenly there is chaos int he court and Mulder has to be escorted out.

Back in his cell Doggett and Skinner are trying to convince Mulder he needs to testify,

"Take the stand, Mulder. Testify."

"No." Mulder refuses seeing his trial as a lost caused. Skinner's phone rings and he steps outside.

"Then we'll testify, me and Monica." Doggett tells him.

"No, listen to me, they'll destroy you. They'll put you out on the street." Mulder warns.

"What's left for us on the X-Files? We came to this job to give it our best. It's the way we're going to leave."

Mulder huffs, "It's not about how good you are. They control the game. They own it."

"Then let's shove it up their ass." Doggett argues, but Skinner comes back into the room.

"That won't be necessary," He says holding up his phone, "that was Dana."

 


	6. Dr. Scully

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I am pretending the gunmen never died hopefully, you all can go with me on this.

**Mulder POV:**

I couldn't believe it, Skinner had just spoken to Scully, she was alive!

"What... how... did she sound alright? Is she sick again. What about James?"

"Slow down," Skinner told me, "She didn't say, I'm sorry. It was a brief call but she's been in contact with the gunmen and will be available tomorrow to testify through video conference... they're setting up lots of relays and it should be secure."

"This is good news right?" Doggett asked.

Yeah I guess it was, a part of me was disappointed she wasn't going to be here in person, I doubted I'd be getting out of here alive and I would have given anything to see her... hold her again. But at least I'd know how she was, that she and my son were safe and away from the bastards that put me in here.

I thought to the truth I learned, _December 22, 2012_. They were safe for now but I knew that safety had an expiration date, and I cursed myself for finding it, for never being able to un-know it.

And no matter how great her testimony was tomorrow it wasn't going to save me and then I'd be gone, I wouldn't even be here to fight the future with them.

 

* * *

 

**The Next Day, Court:**

Mulder walks in and sees the tv screen ready for Scully's call. He's desperate to see her, to hear her voice again. He closes his eyes and thinks back to being in her apartment having her and James in his arms, why the hell did he ever leave? Why wasn't the truth he knew then, the love he felt for them enough, why did he always want more?

Despite super soldiers, assassins, hybrids etc. he was sure of one thing, he was he own worst damn enemy. His mouth quirked a little thinking that as much as it worked against him, it probably pissed of CSM too, for constantly coming in second for that title and at least Mulder was able to get a little joy out of that.

Skinner and Kallenbrunner came in and looked over there notes for the up coming testimony of Dana Scully.

Kersh finally entered and it was time to begin.

Skinner made a call and hung up, 2 minutes later he was called back and a picture of Dana came on the screen.

She wore a navy blue boat neck sweater that really brought out the blue in her eyes, her hair just touched her shoulders and was a deep burnt auburn, almost red but not quite. She was clearly in good health and Mulder breathed a huge sigh of relief. 

His eyes were locked on hers, hoping she would turn and look at him but her eyes were trained straight ahead and did not look about the room for him much to his disappointment. 

"Agent Scully," Skinner began, but Dana interrupted him

"I am no longer an agent with the FBI, Dana or Dr. Scully would be more accurate." She told him coldly.

Skinner seemed surprised by her tone but amended his original approach, "I'm sorry, Dr. Scully, thank you for joining us today."

"Yes, sorry I couldn't be there in person but as you know I was forced to disappear for the sake of my son."

"Indeed, would you mind actually going over that, explaining why you are no longer an FBI agent. There has been some assumptions made towards your disappearance that would be great to clear up," Skinner remarked shooting a look to Kellenbrunner.

"During my time with the X-Files, I was abducted, I don't know if it was by extraterrestrials or those involved in the government conspiracy... the syndicate, either way, while I was gone my eggs were all taken from me. I was left barren. Later on, I found out I had a daughter through one of my stolen eggs, Emily. You can check the records, before that time I had never given birth or donated my eggs, she was the result of stolen DNA, it is not a theory it is discernible fact. And when I tried to adopt her, I was told NO, apparently, my job wasn't conducive to raising a child, despite the fact it was never my choice to give her up nor was I ever given the courtesy of learning of her existence before happening upon her when she was already 4 years old."

Scully takes a moment to collect herself and calm down, 

"I received telephone calls warning me she was in danger, when I went to her I found a mark on the back of her neck, upon further examination it secreted green blood. Mulder and I through testing and further X-File cases determined the blood to be Alien, it was extremely noxious and dangerous to humans. Unsurprisingly it was killing my daughter from the inside out, and I was powerless to save her. I had to just hold her as she died, never being able to properly be her mother for more than a few days and facing the possibility that I might never be a mother again unless god forbid there were more of my children stolen from me and experimented on. I wasn't even able to bury her properly, she was stolen from me yet again and in her place, the syndicate left only sandbags for me to burry in her casket."

Kallenbrunner stood up, "Doctor Scully, I am very sorry for your loss, I can not even imagine your suffering but I fail to see how this has anything to do with you leaving the X-Files or disappearing all together considering you stayed on for another 5 years."

Scully cleared her throat, and seemed to ignore him going on to explain further,

"After Emily, I decided to stay because I wanted answers, I wanted to hold the men who did this responsible and keep them from doing it to anyone else. My dedication to justice proved to be futile. I have never gotten justice for Emily, or even an apology. Instead, the syndicate seemed to find more ways to rob my life of happiness and dignity. Even going so far as to give me cancer, the only way to keep it at bay and from killing me was to voluntarily place a chip of unknown origin and unknown capabilities in my neck."

She held up a small metal chip to the camera.

"And then last year when I fell pregnant, I thought for sure it had been the result of another experiment, and that even if I was able to bring the child into this world it would not be mine for long. During my pregnancy I was followed, monitored, terrorized... it all came to ahead when I gave birth to my little boy. I was surrounded by those who were convinced my child would be the next wave of their race,  _'a human child, with no human frailties...'_ a super soldier who wasn't created but born. And yet the second his first cries entered this world it became clear he wasn't what was promised. He wasn't a more advanced _one of them_ , nor was he like Emily. No, my child was something far more dangerous. He was proof that not aliens nor even the syndicate controlled everything because as much as they wanted him he wasn't a product of them but of love."

Scully reached to her chest and pulled out her cross, showing it to the camera.

"My child is proof of God, and that terrifies those that wish to enslave the human race, whether it's for recolonization, or selling out your own kind to live just a little bit longer, I did not just give birth to my son, I gave birth to hope. To the possibility that a power far greater than even corrupt men could get their dirty hands on existed, and being moral/immoral was actually important... monitored, rewarded and punished and it didn't matter how human you were, all would be judged."

Scully got up to leave but then sat down again,

"Oh by they way Kersh, you and your men can stop trying to trace me, you won't find me, I'm not here, this was pre-recorded, it looks like I will get Emily her justice after all," she smiles a little before continuing, "it will be waiting for all of you in Hell."

The camera shuts off and all that was left in the courtroom was an uncomfotable silence. 


	7. The Dragonfly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A slight peek into Scully during this time.

The red light on the camera shut off to stop recording and Scully got up from her seat and walked around to check the video before sending it to the gunmen.

While watching what she recorded she reached up and pulled on her auburn locks revealing them to be a wig, the shoulder length locks of horse hair were actually hiding her new longer blonde look.

Satisfied she had talked long enough for the trap to work she sealed the tape in the envelope and packed it away hiding it in styrofoam peanuts with a fleshlight on top, and the name of a misspelled sex toy company on the front of the box.

She changed her clothes and popped in some brown contacts completing her disguise before leaving her location.

After the package was safely in the mail she traveled back to her son. She lived under a simple rule, _paranoia is just another name for careful-_  and when it came to her son, she could never be too careful.

She changed cars 3 times doubled back when driving to make sure no one was following her before finally ditching her last car at a used lot and hiking the rest of the way.

Coming through the door, hearing her baby throwing a loud tantrum that would annoy any sane person's ears, simply filled her with love and joy that made all the subterfuge worth it.

He was safe, they both were, and hopefully Mulder would be now too, thats all that mattered to her.


	8. The Fox

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the borrowed line from American Horror Story, but I've always loved how Sarah Paulson delivered it and I wanted to give it a bit of a nod here.

Mulder is pacing his cell, waiting for news, news from Skinner, from Kersh, he'd even take a visit from Kyrcek lite right about now.

Finally Doggett comes in.

"Hey man, what's going on. I thought we'd be going back in after Scully's tape for final statements or something but no one's come for me."

"Turns out you ex partner is one smart cookie,"

"Yeah, trust me she's smart but she's no cookie." Mulder quips.

"Well she set a trap, embedded in the video was a sort of trip wire so if anyone tried to trace her location it would signal the release of further videos, evidence, files... proof, of what you and Scully did, the X-Files, super soldiers you name it. And because it was triggered by the trace, it was released under the DOD servers giving it more credit. It is a shit storm out there right now trying to spin everything."

"No doubt they'll come up with something spectacular to corral the nervous public with." Mulder answers cynically.

"No doubt," Doggett agrees, "but one thing is for certain, they can't touch you, not now, it would validate everything those documents alleged."

"What are you saying?" Mulder asked.

"Turns out the Fox is free to go, didn't even have to chew off his own leg." Dogget said opening the door wider indicating Mulder was free just to walk out.

At first Mulder thought it might have been a trap, that they had gotten to Dogget and the second his back was turned he'd be whacked _mafia_ style.

But it wasn't just his caged door he was able to make it through, he also made it pass security check points and eventually out of the facility.

The sun burned his eyes and it took a while to adjust to the light, to.... his freedom.

"So what now?" He turned asking Doggett.

"Pretty sure only you can answer that." A voice said from behind him,

Turning he saw Skinner walking towards him,

"Sorry I couldn't be here earlier, it's all hands on deck across every government agency today."

"Just glad to hug you as a free man, you big bald beautiful man," Mulder joked.

"Yeah yeah yeah, hands to yourself Mulder, I don't care how long you've been locked up, you save all that for your lady." Skinner told him.

"Speaking of my lady, any idea where she is?" Mulder asked, and suddenly the jovial atmosphere dipped.

"What?" he asked looking to both men,

"Uhh, Mulder, thing is we really don't know, she honestly has done a spectacular job hiding herself and James, I wouldn't even know where to tell you to begin your search." Doggett tells him.

"On the bright side, you'll have all the time in the world now, in case it wasn't obvious you're no longer employed at the FBI or anywhere probably for a very long time." Skinner tells him.

"Well if there's one thing I'm qualified for it's impossible causes, I'll find them." 

"I have no doubt." Skinner said.


	9. I Want to Believe

**3 Years Later**

**Mulder**  is living in a remote farmhouse, the house is dusty and cluttered, newspaper clippings are littered everywhere.

Mulder is staring at his computer on his desk searching kindergarten class photos, with the long beard he's grown it looks kind of pervy.

But he's just looking for his son. For James, and hopefully for his son's mother, his former partner Dana Scully.

Unfortunately he left James and Scully so soon after the birth he's not sure of any identifying features his son may have. Instead, he searches any possible combination of his and Scully's features... blue eyes/brown eyes, red hair/brown hair, big nose/dainty nose, etc.

Everyday, every dead end, he swears he won't give up. He never stopped looking for his sister and he won't stop looking for his son and Scully either, he just hopes for better news than with Samantha when he finds them.

Still going so long without a glimpse of them, without one thread of a lead to pull at has worn on him. The loneliness that surrounds him is palpable but he convinces himself it's his punishment for ever leaving them in the first place.

Occasionally the gunmen or Skinner will pay him a visit, but those have started to dwindle down this last year.

He has been living on his family's money, not that he has a lot of expenses. Lately though in the middle of the night he's even been so desperate as to call one of those hotlines... _NO, not those kinds_ , the psychic ones. It's gotten to the point where he's spending more on those hourly calls then his mortgage but he's at a loss for where else to turn to.

A couple Sundays he even went to church, tried to pray for God's help in finding his family... so far no answer.

* * *

**Scully** had spent most of the past three years in hiding, off the grid, living with natives... surviving off the land.

It was hard but she told herself every day it was for her son. Still, the separation from Mulder was getting to her, this was the longest they had ever been apart and each day she woke up and he wasn't next to her broke her heart a little more.

She tried to rationalize that Mulder would want them safe more than anything but she didn't know how much longer she could keep surviving like this without it affecting James, children could pick up on so much, especially her little boy and she didn't want him to be raised with fear or sadness, with a longing that never went away.

So this year she made a decision to venture back out into the world, she was living under an assumed name and working in a different field but perhaps if it was meant to be- Mulder would find her and they could be a family again.

She thought it was clever to get a job at Oxford, the place Mulder had gotten his bachelors in Psychology and lead to him becoming the genius profiler he was.

She knew it was a long shot that Mulder would ever think to look for her there but she prayed, every day on her way home she stopped by the Cathedral and prayed he would find his way to her again. 

* * *

  **Mulder POV:**

*BRRRinggggg*BRRRingggg*BRRRingg-

"Hello, you've reached the FBI's least wanted," I quipped answering the phone.

"Really, that's how you answer your phone?" The voice on the other end chastised me.

"Doggett! How the hell are you? Hear you made your way out of the basement finally." I said making conversation.

"Yes, yes I did, look I had a visitor today... an Agent Drummy."

"Drummy? That's actually someone's name?" I asked.

"You really want to go down that road, Fox?" Doggett remarked.

"Touché."

"Look, he has an agent missing, and the case is... well unusual, he asked that I get in touch with you. The FBI wants your help on this Mulder." He tells me.

"And why isn't your help enough?" I ask.

Doggett and I were never bff's but he could manage his way around the unusual well enough, and despite personality clashes, he was a stand-up guy.

"As you pointed out Mulder, I made my way _out_ of the basement."

"Yeah, well so have I," I told him getting annoyed.

"Not by much from what I hear." I looked around at the yellow number 2 pencils I had been playing with a second ago.

Alright, so he may have had a point but I wasn't about to let him know that.

"Look, my unabomber appearance aside, I'm not just out of the basement, I'm out of the whole damn FBI. Remember there was a tribunal that lead to a public humiliation about the government covering up for aliens, ring any bells?"

"I think their desperate Mulder, either way, they said they are willing to forgive everything if you help locate this missing agent."

"How very magnanimous of them considering it was their bogus charges on me that kicked everything off in the first place, they should be asking _my_ forgiveness."

"Fine. I'll tell them your answer." I was about to hang up when I looked around, around my empty house, with nothing to look forward to but more dead ends and late-night phone calls with psychic powers.

"Wait, I'll go" I quickly tell him.

"You will?" He asked sounding almost surprised as I was agreeing to this.

"Yeah.... under one condition." 

* * *

A few days later Mulder was once again walking through the halls of the FBI. He was getting major deja vu but every time his looked to his side and Scully wasn't next to him the illusion vanished.

He reasoned that getting a solve under his belt would boost his spirits enough to reenergize his search for Scully and James.

The case was regarding a Monica Bannan, a special agent who had gone missing investigating the murder of a nun.

Mulder was confused as to the supposed spooky element to all of this but apparently, there was also a psychic father Crissman involved.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am changing the case in I Want To Believe, it has similarities but will go in very different directions... 
> 
>  
> 
> *cough*cough* for instance across the pond *cough*cough*


	10. One Condition

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even though 'I Want to Believe' came out in 2008 in my universe it is roughly 2005... just in case it was unclear to anyone.

Mulder is met by an Agent Drummy who brings him to see Special Agent Whitney 

 **"** Excuse me." Drummy says walking into Whitney's office, "They're here," 

She gets up and walks around to introduce herself.

"I'm Special Agent in Charge Whitney.  ****Fox Mulder, I believe. I know this is awkward but welcome back. My team and I appreciate your trust."

 **"** Trust being what it is, I do have my one condition." He reminds the agents.

Drummy and Whitney exchange a look with the clear subtext being _'is this guy for real?'_  but eventually sigh and get on with it. A third agent is called over and brings a gas mask which is presented to Mulder.

"Thanks but I brought my own." Mulder reaches in his bag and place his mask on and then nods signaling he is ready. Both agents take a small needle and prick their thumbs showing neither of them have green blood.

Mulder removes his mask satisfied he isn't working with aliens or hybrids.

"Sure you still want my help, can't help but notice the look on both your faces like I'm _(whistles_ _sci-fi like theme indicating he understands they think he's out there)"_

"I know your work on X-Files cases and believe despite some of your more extreme beliefs you do get results and may be the best chance Monica Bannan has right now so let's just say I'm willing to overlook some of your more unconventional personality traits." Whitney tries to explain as diplomatically as possible, he smirks and can't help thinking how much like Scully she just sounded like... at least Scully before... everything.

She hands the case file to Mulder who starts to look it over.

 **"** How long has she been missing?" He asks.

 **"** Since Sunday evening. Almost three days."

"That's a pretty quick development for you to be desperate enough to ask for my help." He remarks.

"Before she went missing the case was already a little..." Whitney searches for the right word but Mulder helps her out,

"Spooky?"

"Yeah."

"Besides wanting to believe she's still alive do you have any other reason to hope she will buck the statistics on being missing over 72 hours?"

"Soon after she was missing, we found this. A severed arm." She explains sliding over some photographs.

 **"** Where?"

 **"** About ten miles from her home."

"Can I assume no one here needs me to point out this is a man's arm."

 **"** It's a match for evidence of a crime scene found near her house." Whitney explains.

"Blood or tissue match?"

"Blood. Found in her garage and on the tool that matches the wound."

 **"** I take it you were led to it." Mulder guesses.

 **"** Like a needle in a haystack." Whitney responds

"By someone claiming to be a psychic pastor?"

"Father actually, Father Joseph Fitzpatrick Crissman" She corrects him.

"And I guess you want my opinion on if he's full of shit or not," Mulder asks.

 ****"Father Joe..." Drummy starts to explain but Mulder interrupts.

 **"** Father _Joe_ , friend of yours?"

Drummy ignores the question, "He cold-called six hours after Monica Bannan was reported missing, claiming a vision of her, a psychic connection."

"And he's why you believe she's still alive?" Mulder says understanding a bit more.

"Yes." both agents say.

* * *

There is music coming from a black-and-white TV in a bedroom containing a double bed. In the room leading off from the bedroom, Father Joe is kneeling, saying his prayers when there is a knock at the door.

 **"** Father Joe?" Drummy asks as he pushes open the door.

"Excuse the mess. I haven't been sleeping." the father explains.

 **"** Father Joe, this is Fox Mulder." Drummy says moving to reveal another man entering the room.

 **"** Okay."

 **"** He'd like to ask some questions."

Father Joe turns and looks expectantly at Mulder.

"Mind if I ask what you were praying for, father?" Mulder asks him after a beat.

"Salvation of my immortal soul." Father Joe answers.

"How do you know if he hears your prayers? If he's still interested in you after what you've done?"

When Mulder was reading up on Father Joe it was revealed he was a convicted pedophile.

 **"** I have to believe he does hear me, or why would he send these visions?"

 **"** Maybe it's not God doing the sending," Whitney injects joining the men in the small room.

"You call them visions um does that mean you see them, like images or a movie?" Mulder wants to know, fascinated by the father's potential ability.

 ****"Yes, I see them in what you might call my mind's eye." Father Joe explains to Mulder.

 **"** What do you see?" He asks.

[Father Joe picks up a cigarette and lights it.]

 **"** I see the poor girl being assaulted. See her putting up a fight. I hear dogs barking."

 ****"You see her alive." Mulder asked to clarify.

 **"** No, but I feel that she is."

"Can you show us how you do it?" Mulder asks completely enthralled in the possibilities despite the things this excuse for a holy man has done to innocent children.

Father Joe stubs out his cigarette and closes his eyes and concentrates, he opens his eyes again and looks to Mulder,

"I saw something but it wasn't your missing agent, it was a mother and her young boy... beautiful he was, he had your eyes Mr. Mulder."

The blood drained from Mulder's face, he wasn't sure if he wanted to believe the Father had actually seen his son, could lead him to his family. Normally it would have been his greatest desire to believe what he was saying but he didn't want James in this pervert's head and a part of him prayed the man in front of him was full of shit and couldn't see a damn thing even if it means there was no hope for the missing agent.

Mulder excused himself and stepped outside. A moment later Whitney comes out and joins him.

"So, do you think he's for real?" She asks.

"Hard to say." Mulder mutters still thrown by what Father Joe told him.

"Was it agent Scully's son he was talking about in there... your son?" Whitney asks.

Mulder turned around and stalked towards her a bit menacingly,

"Let's get one thing straight, Dana Scully has nothing to do with this and her name nor my son's will make even the slightest appearance in this case file is that understood?"

Whitney is taken aback slightly, Mulder had appeared to be very laid back, mellow, good-naturedly cocky, but the Mulder in front of her was none of those things he was breathing out rage like a smoking dragon in the freezing weather. She nodded her head and told him she understood, she wouldn't make any note that Father Joe alluded to a mother and boy, a boy with Mulder's eyes.

 Drummer appears behind them, "Everything okay out here?" he asks picking up on the tense vibe.

"Yeah," Mulder says, "Let's take the physic Father for a ride, see just how physic he is."

 

 

 


	11. Zoology

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea how things work at Oxford so please give me a little leeway here. I'm trying to find a few things out from their website but I'm sure I'll get a bunch wrong so apologies.

A man walks down a stone hallway with urgency in his steps. He stops at a door with the nameplate - _Dr. Katherine Muller_

He knocks and cracks the door open when called in.

Inside is a blonde woman, late 30s, sat at her desk. She turns around and we see it's Scully.

She looks up through her glasses to see who has entered her office,

"Yes?" 

The young man shifts on his feet somewhat nervously, "Dr. Muller? They're ready for you." Her assistant professor tells her.

"I'll be right there Richard, thank you."

Scully gathers her notes and follows behind Richard to the classroom. She was a little nervous, she was just as new to Oxford as some of her students and was about to ' _step up to the plate'_ as her old partner would say.

Waiting in the classroom was a new batch of doctorate students eager to begin a more in-depth study of Zoology and Scully's "specialty" Infectious Diseases.

Scully had chosen not to continue in law enforcement or medicine after leaving D.C. but couldn't abandon science all together, she thought Zoology would make a good fit. Surely her study of monsters throughout her X-Files career could come in handy in the field.

When she decided it was in her and James' best interest to start living "on the grid" again, becoming a Professor seemed to provide the stability she was looking for while still keeping her mind engaged and challenged. 

Looking at different vacancies at different universities she kept coming back to Oxford, there was something about being there, at Mulder's alma mater she couldn't pass up.

She had to find someone to fake her qualifications but being in the FBI she was able to know quality work and what would pass close inspection. She chose to go by her middle name and gave herself and her son a similar sounding last name to Mulder.

Everything was all in place, all she had to do was cross that threshold into the classroom and begin her new life as Katherine Muller.

* * *

**Mulder POV:**

I'm sitting in the backseat next to a pedophile former priest hoping the voices in his head lead us to a missing FBI agent. If Scully was here she never would have let it get this far, it's amazing how much she was able to ground me when with out her my natural inclination is to run with things like this. I was too headstrong to admit I needed that before, maybe even a little bit now but there's no denying she kept me... if not responsible REASONABLE. It wasn't enough just to believe or want to believe I needed to ground those feelings and suspicions in truth. Truth became more tangible with her next to me forcing me to base things in facts, in what we could prove. She kept me sane and I repaid her by leaving when she and my son needed me the most.

If I ever find them again, I won't make that mistake again. I won't put finding answers over them because even if I was to find all the secrets of the world without them by my side its all just so meaningless and hollow.

The vehicle we're in suddenly goes over a bump and wakes up FJ next to me who was starting to drool a little.

"Are we getting warm?" He asks.

"You tell us."

He looks around but shakes his head, "I don't know I have a clue where we are."

I pull out Monica Bannan's FBI photo ID card and show it to him hoping it sparks something.

But there's no recognition on his face, 

"I don't know this girl. This Agent Bannan of yours. I haven't a clue of the connection."

"There's always something, however small." I tell him trying to push him to believe more in his capabilities.

"And who made you the expert?"

"I once investigated a series of cases involving unexplained phenomena for the FBI."

"So you believe in these sort of things?" He asks.

My mind drifts to Scully,

"Let's just say I want to believe." I tell him.

"And his sister was abducted by E.T." Drummy rudely comments from the front seat, and I feel my hand closing into a fist, _asshole._

"Is that true?" Padre Pedo asks.

"It was a long time ago." I tell him, the only thing I want to talk to this man less about then my son would be my sister.

He studies me for a moment, "She's dead, isn't she, your sister?"

I take back the ID and look out the window, signaling to everyone in the car I'm done with the topic.

After a moment FJ speaks up,

"This is where she was taken - your agent - this is where she was attacked."

And the car pulls over with all of us climbing out.

Father Joe looks around a bit before walking towards the woods.

Whitney walks over to me and stands close also observing where FJ is walking,

"We have to consider him a suspect." She tells me.

Don't get me wrong I think the guy belongs in prison but just not for this.

"I thought you said you found no connection to the crime?"

"Don't think my guys have stopped looking, and they think they're going to find Monica." Implying they thought she was chasing her tail with this approach, been there sister.

"But you don't, or I wouldn't be here."

"Yeah, I'm not the most popular girl at the FBI right now for calling you in, believe me."

I smirk a little,

"I wasn't exactly Miss Popularity at the FBI myself." I tell her.

"But you've dealt with psychics before. Luther Lee Boggs, Clyde Bruckman, Gerald Schnauz - I went through those cases and that work was extremely impressive."

Color me faltered.

"Yeah, well. I'm only half the team." I tell her sensitively hoping I don't actually have to say the words 'I'm sorry' 

"But it's _your_ insights I needed" Implying Scully isn't who she needs on this case. I of corse disagree but the truth is Scully isn't here so I'm all they have.

We see Father Joe sink to his knees in the snow and begin to rush over to him.

When he hears the crush of the snow under our boots get close to him he starts speaking, staring out in the distance never looking back at us just assuming we're taking it all in.

"She ran away. She tried to escape. There were two men. Well, she couldn't. He pushed her down, it was here, it was right here, and then they we're put in her back."

"What was put in her back?" I ask.

"She's in pain, great, great pain."

"Tell me where!" Whitney demands.

"What was put in her back?" I ask again.

"I've never seen anything like them... they were like tiny monsters... I don't know. I...I can't see."

 

 

 


	12. Creature Sketch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cone snail/cigarette snail and axolotl are individually real but I'm gonna be stretching the truth with my monster combo of them, so enjoy the read but don't use me as a scientific resource.

**FBI Headquarters:**

Agent Whitney approaches Mulder, "The sketch artist just sent this over," She hands him over the sketch Father Joe helped put together describing what he saw go into the missing agent's back.

"What the hell is that?" Mulder asks

"Not sure, I've sent it out to some top Zoologists, I'm waiting to hear back," Whitney tells him.

"Alright, want to split the list, make sure they are taking this seriously?" Mulder asks.

"Good idea," Agent Whitney tells him, "You want A-M or N-Z?" 

"Never been too fond of the AM I'll take N through Z." She passes him over the list and they both get to work calling scientists. 

**2 hours later...**

"I got nothing concrete you?" Mulder asks.

"Nothing, but there's one who still hasn't gotten back to me."

"Who?" Mulder asks,

"A new hire at Oxford, Katherine Muller." Whitney tells him.

"My old alma mater? How about that,"

"I can't keep doing this and have nothing to show for it," Whitney tells him frustrated, "They are days away from declaring her likely deceased.. and I can't let that happen, not without knowing for sure."

"Alright, I have some frequent flier miles saved, how about you go back to working the classic angles of missing persons cases and I'll let you know if I kick up anything interesting in jolly ole England."

A few hours later Mulder is boarding a flight.

**Scully POV:**

I got the sketch the FBI had faxed over, nearly had a stroke when my T.A. told me they had left a message for me. I thought I would have to run and grab James... disappear again. Apparently, there was a missing agent and they had reason to believe she had last been seen in proximity to this unknown slug-like creature. 

The pattern of the skin and overall shape suggested a cone snail but I couldn't be sure. For one thing, there were head ferns depicted, which are typically only found on Axolotl. They increase the surface area for gas exchange working like gills. A snail wouldn't need gills. The other irregularity was the presence of a tail. It almost seemed to qualify as an X-file.

Deciding I had nothing that could help the missing agent I decided not to call back and headed home for the day.

I held James longer than normal when I got home... today had made me miss Mulder, more than I normally do. But eventually, I let my little man go back to playing as I made dinner for us.

**3rd Person POV:**

Mulder's plane landed early in the morning, he decided to get a few hours sleep before showing up unannounced at Katherine Muller's office. He didn't have a lot of hope about following this lead but it was better than doing nothing when an agent was missing and about to be declared dead. 

He arrived at Oxford at 3 pm and took his time strolling around for a bit before making his way over to the Zoology department.

He arrived at Katherine Muller's door and knocked,

"Sorry no one here," The voice responded... there was something about that voice.

No, it couldn't be... for one thing she had an English accent. Still, Mulder was suddenly very nervous as he turned the handle and entered anyway.

It was a blonde woman who had her back turned to him, just when he started to deflate that it clearly wasn't Scully she swiveled her chair around and BAM, their eyes connected...

they had found one another again.


	13. Reunited

"Mulder?" Dana muttered almost breathlessly.

There he stood, what she prayed for every day and here he finally was. She was afraid to let herself believe it was truly him. Slowly, scared any sudden movements would cause the apparition to disappear, she rose from her chair and walked around her desk until she was standing right in front of him.

"Is it really you?" She asked dropping the fake accent.

"Pretty sure you stole my question there, Scully." As soon as he said her name, her real name, she stopped second-guessing and launched herself into his arms nearly knocking him over.

"Oh my God, Mulder."

"I know," He told her as he held her to him and buried his nose in her hair, "I know."

 

**Mulder POV:**

I had found her, she was standing in my arms. I brushed her new blonde locks back from her face and tilted her head up, I missed the red but I could definitely work with this.

My gaze flicked down to her full pouty lips I had found myself coveting during so many cases, I checked her eyes again as if I needed to triple check it really was her before I did what I did next... kiss the fuck out of her.

Our lips meet, just touched and stilled on one another both of us needing a moment to just absorb the impact of being about to touch one another again. Finally, they started to move together, dancing, wrestling, teasing, biting, we put everything we had into that kiss and it seemed to go on forever neither one of us brave enough to stop it and come up for air in case this was all some cruel trick.

The need for oxygen eventually won out and our lips separated, but not by much... a feather would struggle to fit between us, it was just enough to breath in some air.

"Whoops, uh sorry to interrupt." A voice interrupted us.

I turned around to find a gangly young man,

"Yes, Richard what is it?" Scully asked.

"Richard?" I asked Scully surprised by the name and her flawless transion back into a british accent, who knew Scully had such acting chops.

"Right, again sorry to interrupt but Dr. Muller you should be starting office hours soon just wanted to give you a heads up." 

"Mulder I'm so sorry, I need 2 hours here but why don't you head over to my place I'll let the sitter know she can leave early, you can spend some time with James."

"James?" The name of my son stuns me all over again.

"Yes, he'll be so happy to see you."

"Will he even know who I am?" I ask not wanting to the make my son uncomfortable by forcing him to be alone with a stranger.

"He knows you Mulder, pictures and videos, he's always known you I made sure of it."

I can't believe she did that, I don't deserve her, but I'm sure as hell taking her, right here on her desk if it wasn't for Richard or stupid office hours. 

**Scully POV:**

Mulder just left and I tell Richard to give me a few minutes. I call Karen who is watching James and ask her to give him the phone.

We're on face time so my little man can see me.

"Momma!"

"Hello baby, I have a big surprise for you," I tell him.

"What?" He demands ever impatient.

"It's daddy, he's found his way home to us." James is silent unsure how to take this.

"Do you understand, daddy from the pictures and videos and all the stories I've told you, he's here, he's on his way to see you right now." James looks down unsure and I realize I need to be there for him, even if he knows who Mulder is, it's a big deal and he needs my support, they both do I think.

I tell Richard to email my students office hours are canceled today and race out to catch up with Mulder.

Luckily he hasn't gotten too far and we head off to see our son together for the first time in years and I know i'll be thanking God for this for years to come.

 


End file.
